Kaini (Kainai) Industries - Its Meaning and Context

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New Seed
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I've recently been reading about Indigenous groups in Canada as part of one of my University courses. One of the groups that I've read about is the Kaianai Blood Reserve in Southern Alberta , which is just south of Calgary (where Marcus and Michael lived in their childhood). After some digging, I found some information on "Kainai Industries". I would assume that it's already known on this site that BoC's track 'Kaini Industries' is most likely about he Kaianai Blood Reserve in Alberta (Canada). As a result, I am not just making this post to point out this somewhat known theory.

Instead, I would like to make a more in depth post on the subject; more specifically, I write to you about my theory on why BoC named a track after Kaianai Industries / why Kaianai Industries is significant. I hope that I am able to provide you all with some information on Kaianai Industries and the context surrounding it.

First off, I would like to note that I have live and always have lived Western Canada (the region including Calgary and the Kaianai Blood Reserve). As a result, I feel like the whole thing really hits home. In Canada, relations have been poor between First Nations groups and our Federal Government (as well as Euro-Canadian society as a whole). To me, Kaianai Industries is a symbol of the relationship between First Nations people and the Canadian Federal Government. Now, I would like to ask you to read this article on Kainai Industries before I get any further --- it is a short, great read. As well as a rare article on the Kaianai Industries, and I use it as a basis for the rest of my post.

https://ammsa.com/publications/windspea ... industries

Now that you have (hopefully) read the article I would like to discuss the topic more in depth. But first, I would like to clarify some terminology. I use the term 'First Nation' instead of 'Indian' (which is used in the article). Indian and First Nation both refer to the same group of people, but today, First Nations people generally prefer to be called First Nations rather than Indians due to the derogatory usage of the term ‘Indian’.

Furthermore, Kaianai Industries, is a symbol of the poor and deteriorated relationship between our federal government and the First Nations people, and more specifically how the federal government has undermined the First Nations people.

As noted in the article, the Department of Indian Affairs (which is / was run by the Canadian Federal Government) actively undermined Kaianai Industries. And the truth, is that is hard to know just how much influence the Canadian Government had over the eventual closure of Kaianai Industries. However, what is important is that this is all a part of a broader theme. There are many First Nations groups that feel betrayed by the Canadian Federal Government for a multitude of reasons (I will not go into any of them in depth, or else would end up writing a massive post here). I will list a historic and Canadian examples of how the Canadian Federal government has abused their relationship with First Nations peoples and why some First Nations peoples / groups have so much distrust towards the Federal Government. Historically, the Canadian Federal Government implemented and ran Residential Schools where First Nations kids were forcibly removed from their families into Euro-Canadian schools and forcibly assimilated to Euro-Canadian culture. Currently, an example is the lack of clean water on Reserves. The Federal Government is meant to provide certain necessities to First Nations peoples due to agreements made through treaties. However, in Canada (the Country with the most fresh water in the world) the federal government has failed to provide clean water to all communities. At times, there has been long-term drinking water advisories in 100+ First Nation communities (even though it is the Federal Government's jurisdiction to provide First Nations communities with clean-drinking water). These are only two of many examples , but I share this to show that this a trend that is a historic, and persistent trend in Canadian society.

Nonetheless, Kaianai Industries is an example of this trend --- of how First Nations people feel undermined and betrayed by the Canadian Federal Government (as documented in the article). The Indian Affairs member who sent out the letter calling for Reserves to hire a different (non-native / off reserve) company shows what the government is most concerned about --- money, rather than the well-being of the First Nations people. As noted in the article, the Kaianai Blood Reserve had an unemployment rate of 80% at the time --- unemployment has been a significant issue on many First Nations reserves in Canada. Although the Kainai Blood Reserve had such an employment issue, the Federal Government was still more concerned with saving money (as they ultimately pay for First Nations' Housing due to treaties) rather than helping the people on Kaianai Blood Reserve to hold onto their jobs and bring wealth into their Reserve.

To me, I think this could all be why Boards of Canada chose to name a track (presumably) after Kaianai Industries. But who knows, I don't know what was going through their heads --- for all I know they just thought Kaini Industries was a cool name for a track (although I doubt that). But what I do know, is that to me Kaianai Industries means a lot of things. Most importantly, to me, it is a symbol of the relationship between the Federal Government and First Nations people --- a relationship which is lopsided and in my opinion abused by the Federal Government for its own prosperity.

I would like to end this by noting that I love Boards of Canada for many reasons: but one those reasons (which I'm sure I share with many of you) is that they really make me think on a deeper level, they bring me into an introspective space. Boards of Canada led me down the rabbit-hole of Kaianai Industries, one which allowed me to look deeper into myself and analyze what i really think Kaianai Industries is truly about - what it means to me. I think it's pretty cool that If it wasn't for Boards of Canada, I would never have gone down this rabbit hole and found all this information on Kaianai Industries and its history --- and you would never be reading this either.

I hope I was able to provide some interesting material on Kaini (Kaianai) Industries and the context surrounding it. I am interested In what you all think of this, if you have any other knowledge on Kaiani Industries, or the meaning of Kaini Industries (or more importantly what Kaianai Industries means to you).

Dayvan Cowboy
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This is somewhat of an essay of a post, but it is nevertheless a really interesting read. I was aware of Kaini Industries' relation to Native Canadian history in its struggle with the forced industrial age that the Europeans tended to impose upon most any they came across, but your post provides so much in the way of detail on the subject and that is much appreciated.

Happy first post!

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Sherbet Head
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If you go to the National Film Board website, you can watch the old documentaries about Pete Standing Alone, the Blood Tribe and his involvement with the Kainai Industries project. Highly recommended viewing. (Sorry I don't have time right now to dig up links).

New Seed
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Valotonin wrote:This is somewhat of an essay of a post, but it is nevertheless a really interesting read. I was aware of Kaini Industries' relation to Native Canadian history in its struggle with the forced industrial age that the Europeans tended to impose upon most any they came across, but your post provides so much in the way of detail on the subject and that is much appreciated.

Happy first post!



I was a bit concerned I might put some people to sleep lol, it definitely resembles an essay ( I think i've been writing too many papers lately for school lol) . Thanks for the kind words! I'm glad that my post is finding the right people, and that you found it interesting !

New Seed
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Josh wrote:If you go to the National Film Board website, you can watch the old documentaries about Pete Standing Alone, the Blood Tribe and his involvement with the Kainai Industries project. Highly recommended viewing. (Sorry I don't have time right now to dig up links).


Thanks for letting me know. Found the video, excited to check this one out !

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Friendly Stranger
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Allinesik wrote:https://ammsa.com/publications/windspea ... industries


Something is wrong with your link, but maybe this is the page you intended?
https://ammsa.com/publications/windspeaker/dia-trying-break-kainai-industries

New Seed
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Thanks for bringing that up.

https://ammsa.com/publications/windspea ... industries

This is indeed the link / article i meant to include with my original post.

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